Davidson struggles as Robinson dominates Bellevue City Council race

Don Davidson, current Bellevue city councilman and former mayor, is hoping to advance to the general election in the Bellevue City Council race. (Alan Berner / The Seattle Times)

Lynne Robinson took a huge lead over incumbent Don Davidson and big-spending candidate Vandana Slatter in a race for Bellevue City Council.

Slatter, a political newcomer, held a narrow lead in Tuesday returns over Davidson, a longtime councilmember and former mayor whose campaign got off to a slow start due to illness.

Robinson, chair of the city Parks Board and a longtime civic activist, won a commanding 48 percent of the vote, followed by Slatter with 26.3 percent and Davidson with 25.4. The top two vote getters will move on to the November election.

In the other City Council primary, incumbent Kevin Wallace and East Bellevue Community Council Chair Steve Kasner cruised to clear victories over poorly funded candidates Bill Hirt and Jeffrey Talada.

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Politics Northwest is the go-to blog for politics in our region. The blog explores national, state and local political news and issues. Reporters from Washington, D.C., to Seattle City Hall to the state capital in Olympia contribute. Editors are Richard Wagoner and Beth Kaiman.